Various hanger anti-theft devices are already known, in which a hanger is associated with a cable or a chain having one end fixed to the hanger and having its other end suitable for being received in a housing provided for the purpose on the hanger and for being locked in said housing by means of a key-operated lock mechanism. The free end of the cable is passed through a sleeve of the garment supported on the hanger prior to being locked to the hanger. This device is relatively inconvenient in use since in order to prevent the hanger carrying a garment from being removed from the rail to which it is hooked, the hanger and its garment must be held to one side of the suspension rail and the free end of the cable must be passed round the other side of the rail.
Another type of anti-theft device for a hanger is also known in which the hanger is associated with two moving arms which clamp the shoulders of the garment against the hanger and which are lockable in the clamping position by means of a key-operated locking mechanism. This device has the drawback of crushing the shoulders of the garment against the hanger and thereby deforming or marking them with the ends of the moving arms.
Further, all known anti-theft devices for hangers require the use of special hangers, whereas retailers generally prefer to be able to use their own hangers which are often marked with the name of the retailer or with the name of a fashion house.
Preferred embodiments of the invention provide an anti-theft device, in particular for a garment-hanger, which avoids the drawbacks of known devices, which is simple, cheap, reliable, and which can be adapted to any type of hanger and suspension rail.